


Wicked Games

by marveltookmywallet



Series: Starts With An Earthquake [2]
Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-01-21
Packaged: 2017-11-25 03:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/634891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marveltookmywallet/pseuds/marveltookmywallet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve gets kicked out of the tower.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is part two of Starts With An Earthquake, hope you enjoy!

Wicked Games Ch 1.  
Part 2 Starts With An Earthquake

“Two Queens, bitch!” Clint shouted throwing his cards on the table and going for the winnings, Tony pulled his arm back.

“Not so fast Legolas, I’ve got a full house. And I don’t mean the tower.” The others groaned and placed their losing cards down as Tony took the winnings making his pile even bigger than before.

            Natasha rolled her eyes and took the cards before shuffling them ready to deal the next hand. The entire team plus a few extras sat around the table for family game night as Coulson had dubbed it. Everyone who lived in the tower had to attend, barring invasion of some evil mastermind, Wednesday nights for poker, or apples to apples, or monopoly, or some other random game that whoever’s night it was picked out.

Tonight was Tony’s night, he choose poker, a game he excelled in during his time at boarding school, it also helped that he had been trained not to give away real emotion since he was a child. The TV was on in the background, no one was paying it any mind, it had been on ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ a tower favorite, but that was gone and a fundamentalist Christian show called the 700 Club was on now. No one paid it any mind until the Avengers were brought up.

“And now with these so called heroes trying to act as role models for our youth I pray for America’s children. The only wholesome member is Captain America, and I hope he can bring back our country from the faggots currently ruining it.” Darcy threw popcorn at the screen, and Clint looked like he was about to punch the screen, Phil took his hand to try to reassure him and calm him down before he broke Tony’s TV.

“The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a mistake for America, gays shouldn’t even be allowed in the military. I pray Captain America will bring back _traditional_ American values.” The speaker finished, Cap stood in the door way.

“Damn right I will.” He says walking over to his seat. Everyone turned to him in disbelief. Tony stood up, knocking his chair over and stomping over to Steve he pulled him up by his collar. Steve stared at him not understanding as to why Tony was currently holding him up by his collar. Though Steve was still sitting and Tony was about the same height. Tony pulled Steve to a standing position.

“You’re a fucking homophobe. How fucking dare you? I’m gay you dick!” Tony was seething, he was so angry he was vibrating. “Get out of my fucking tower, I swear to fuck if I see you again, I’ll…I’ll…” Tony then pulled his arm back and punched Steve in the jaw. Steve recoiled, but Tony clutched his hand to his chest.

“FUCK! You broke my hand, fuck you!” Tony turned and ran to his lab. Pepper stood up, glared at Steve then followed Tony. Natasha, Clint, Phil, and Bruce all gave Steve an icy glare before turning towards the lab.

“Wow, I thought you were cool, but fuck that noise. Come on, Jane. I don’t want to hang around someone who can’t handle all the gay!” Darcy said standing and storming off to her floor with Jane who had a confused Thor in tow.

            Steve was left standing around the abandoned poker table wondering what the hell just happened. He rubbed his sore jaw, which was already in the process of healing.

“Um, JARVIS, what just happened?” He asked looking up at the ceiling, a habit that Tony still hadn’t broken him out of and now it looked like it wouldn’t even matter.

“ _Sir punched you in your jaw, after you made a homophobic remark._ ” JARVIS said, and if Steve didn’t know any better he could hear ice in the AI’s voice. Steve pinched his eyebrows together in concentration, thinking back to the earlier conversation. He couldn’t think of anything that he said that sounded even remotely homophobic.

“JARVIS, could you please play back what I said?” Steve asked, and JARVIS played the voices from earlier.

“And now with these so called heroes trying to act as role models for our youth I pray for America’s children. The only wholesome member is Captain America, and I hope he can bring back our country from the faggots currently ruining it.” Steve’s face morphed from uncertainty to angry.

“The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a mistake for America, gays shouldn’t even be allowed in the military. I pray Captain America will bring back _traditional_ American values.” Steve held up a hand and JARVIS stopped the recording. Steve looked shocked and enraged at the same time.

“I only heard the last bit about bringing back values, I thought they meant like being friendly, not removing gay rights! Oh, god, Tony. Is he okay? I should go down and explain, right?” Steve started walking towards the door.

“ _Sir, I find that inadvisable, as if you were to enter the lab I can almost guarantee that you will be shot with an arrow and thrown against the wall by the Hulk.”_ JARVIS advised, but this time his voice was much less icy. “ _May I suggest holding a press conference to share your true views on the subject of homosexuality? That is what Sir would do in your situation_.”

            Steve sighed and nodded his head. “Thanks JARVIS, I’m sorry I misunderstood what was going on, and I’m sorry Tony is hurt. Can you help me with the conference? I should probably do it tomorrow, peel off the bandage quick, right?”

“ _Of course, sir. I have already sent an announcement to the major news corporations and set up a press conference for tomorrow at 10:30 a.m_.”

“Thank you, JARVIS. I should go write my speech. Can you… Can you make sure everyone watches tomorrow?”

_“Yes sir.”_ JARVIS said as Steve went to his room to write his speech up.

            Tony punched in the code to his lab slamming the door behind him, he stalked over to his work station and threw himself down onto a stool.

“JARVIS, lock-out, code Alpha-Zeta-Stark-Oh-Five-Seven-One.” Tony nearly shouted Dummy came over and examined him with his camera head; he whirred in confusion at Tony who was still clutching his hand to his chest.

            There was a knocking on the door, Tony didn’t feel like dealing with any human being so he ignored it. The knocking turned into pounding and Tony went to grab the bottle of whisky, he slid down onto the floor away from the windows, hidden by a desk. He put the bottle in between his legs to hold it in place and opened it with his left hand. He took a long swig. Then another. And another.

“JARVIS, turn on my music.” Rock music filtered through the air drowning out the panicked pounding on the door. Tony banged his head on the back of the desk and suddenly had the urge to cry; small tears escaped his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He started laughing, the noise urgent and manic, as if there were a monster trying to escape from his chest and rage terror upon the world.

            Outside the garage, Pepper and Natasha were yelling trying to get Tony to let them in. Phil and Clint strode up to the locked door with Bruce following holding a first aid kit.

“What is going on?” Phil asked, agent voice in use.

“Stark locked us out, Pepper’s override code isn’t working. He also has turned on music so he can’t hear us.” Natasha said, all business, but with a hint of worry. She had grown close to Tony in recent months having been living together as well as dating his best friend.

Phil straightened his tie, “JARVIS, override code, Super-Nanny-One-Two-Three.”

“ _Access granted, and may I suggest acting quickly, Sir has found a bottle of whiskey.”_ JARVIS said, and Tony’s music stopped playing.

“JARVIS, what the fuck?” Tony slurred. The others went over to where he was sitting on the floor. Pepper squatted down in front of him and wrestled the bottle away, giving it to Natasha who recapped it and put it back on the shelf.

            Bruce got on his knees on the other side of Tony and carefully took his hand beginning to examine it. Clint and Phil brought over stools sitting down in front of Tony. Pepper was stroking his hair, cradling his head in her arms trying to soothe him with nonsense words. Tears continued to roll down his face.

“It’s broken, but he doesn’t need surgery. I can cast it here.” Bruce waved his hand to get rid of the x-ray hologram that JARVIS had done for him. Coulson nodded and Bruce went to work on casting Tony’s injured hand, in the meantime Tony had calmed down due to Pepper’s soothing and the pain medication Bruce had given him.

“I’m not gay,” Tony started.

“Ton-“ Pepper started, but Tony cut her off.

“I’m technically pansexual, but it worked for the moment.”

“We know, Tony. It’s okay.” Pepper said patting his head giving him a small kiss on the forehead. Natasha squeezed his hand that she was holding and Clint patted his leg.

“Did I make the wrong decision? I just kicked an icon out of my house. Coulson please don’t be mad!” Tony started panicking, Natasha rubbed circles into his hand whispering Shhhh calming him down.

“It’s okay, Tony. I’m not mad at you. I’m proud of you, for standing up for what you believe in, even if you didn’t have to punch him, only because he broke your hand not because I think he didn’t deserve it, he did.” Coulson said laying his head on Clint’s shoulder.

            Coulson continued, “I should probably burn my Captain America trading cards, yeah? Seeing as he doesn’t approve of my relationship.” Clint kissed his forehead and ran his hand along Phil’s back rubbing comfort.

“The worst part is that I liked him, I mean like liked him, he was my childhood hero too, then when I met him in real life he was so perfect it was fate that I fell for him. Of course it turns out that he hates who I am.” Tony said, nuzzling into Pepper’s neck for comfort.

“ _Sir, Darcy would like you to know that you have her full support and she is making you rainbow cupcakes.”_ JARVIS said with a note of amusement in his voice. The room burst into laughter. Bruce finished Tony’s cast. Clint pulls out a Sharpie and hops over to Tony’s cast, signing his name and adding a little cartoon hawk. The others write their names on the cast as well. JARVIS pulls up a movie and they all fall asleep on some blankets and pillows that Dummy brought over, watching Lord of the Ring. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning after and the press conference

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took forever! Gah, I suck!

Tony woke up suddenly due to an insistent banging on the walls of his lab. Everyone else was asleep around him like lionesses and their lion. Pepper had her head in his lap, Natasha was using Pepper’s hip as a pillow. Clint was holding on to Tony’s leg head in Coulson’s lap who was sitting up against the wall sleeping. Bruce was curled up next to Tony’s bad arm ready to attend to any problems if they were to arise.

“ _Sir, Ms. Darcy, is requesting entry into the laboratory. Shall I grant her access?”_ JARVIS asked.

“Yeah, tell her to be quiet though, these guys are still asleep.” Tony said stretching his arms carefully as not to wake Pepper or Clint. Tony heard the doors to the lab open and Darcy bounce in. Darcy never walked anywhere, she only bounced, always overly excited about everything but also extremely sarcastic, Tony liked that about her, and she liked that he gave her a kick ass secretary job at SI.  When she got around to where everyone was laying Tony put up a finger to his mouth in the universal “shh” signal. Darcy smirked and pointed to the plate that she was holding.

            The plate was filled with colorful cupcakes, with pro-gay messages like “you’re gay, and that’s okay!” and little rainbows. Tony started laughing at the cupcake that had his face with a rainbow surrounding it. Darcy picked it up and handed it to Tony, who gladly took a bite. He closed his eyes and moaned as he let the sweet and moist cake into his mouth.

“You missed your calling as a baker, Darce.” Darcy smiled in return as she set the platter of cupcakes on Tony’s worktable. Dummy came over to investigate, Darcy smiled and showed him the cupcakes. He beeped at her with a wishful tone.

“No.” Tony said before taking another bite. Darcy looked over at Dummy then back to Tony and used her best puppy dog eyes.

“No.” Tony said again this time shaking his head.  Darcy shrugged her shoulders and looked at Dummy,

“Sorry, bud.” She lightly patted his claw and he beeped contentedly at her, Tony rolled his eyes.

“Did you guys sleep down here? It doesn’t look very comfortable. And oh god, your hand is actually broken!” Darcy said motioning to the people sleeping around Tony.

“Yeah, we did sleep here. And yes my hand is broken, but it’s okay. Bruce fixed it.” Tony smiled widely and ran his fingers through Bruce’s curls. Darcy looked rather jealous. Tony smirked at her expression.

“Do you have a thing for jade-jaws over here?” Tony said continuing to pet Bruce. Darcy glared and huffed crossing her arms over her chest before pointedly looking away. Tony laughed heartily.

“I thought you didn’t want to wake them up.” Darcy harshly whispered, still crossing her arms and glaring at Tony’s general direction. Tony looked down at his watch.

“Eh, it’s 9:30 they can get up.” He patted Pepper on the head, “Come on, Pep. Get up.” When she started to stir he began to lightly shake his leg. “Legolas, get up, the early bird gets the worm!” That warranted a groan from Clint.

“Fuck you Stark.” Clint moaned rolling over away from Tony’s leg, but the damage was done and Phil was awake, alert and focused as always. He carded his hands through Clint’s hair and Clint leaned into it like a cat, he may have been purring but Phil wasn’t going to point that out in front of Tony.

            Pepper sat up and gently rubbed circles in Natasha’s back to wake her up. She was awake in seconds glancing around for danger then settling down and leaning on Pepper’s shoulder when she realized that nothing was amiss. Bruce woke up from all the movement, blinking back into reality he sat cross-legged with his back against a leg to one of the tables in Tony’s lab. Darcy dropped down and sat next to Bruce.

“So, I’m guessing that’s your handy-work.” She said motioning to Tony’s cast. Bruce nodded his head and softly smiled. She smiled back at him. Tony rolled his eyes and Pepper hit him in his shoulder.

“I made cupcakes and there is a huge ass pot of coffee upstairs if anyone is game!” Darcy sing-songed standing up. Clint got up as well holding out a hand to help Phil up. Bruce stood up and grabbed his medical bag. Pepper helped Tony and Natasha up and everyone followed Darcy up the stairs after she patted Dummy goodbye.

             The gang headed up to the entertainment room where there were even more cupcakes than what Darcy had brought down along with a cuddling Thor and Jane. When Thor realized that Tony had walked in his face lit up.

“Friend Tony! My lady Jane has explained to me what great feat you have accomplished and I am happy for your walking out of the dresser!” Thor beamed, Jane shook her head and whispered in his ear,

“Came out of the closet, love.” Thor looked slightly embarrassed but overcame it.

“Or came out of the closet, I am still not used to these midgaurdian colloquialisms.”

            Tony smiled and poured himself a cup of coffee.

“Thanks, Thor. But really you guys. I came out in the 90s, I just haven’t been public with my male lovers as of late. Also, I seriously overreacted yesterday. I shouldn’t have punched Steve or told him to move out. Honestly, it’s not his fault he grew up in a time when being gay was a no-no, I should have taken time to educate him, but I just saw red, and acted without thinking.” Tony said as he took a long sip (gulp) of coffee then pouring some more into his cup and snagging another cupcake and hopping on the couch next to Clint who was quietly nursing his coffee and shooting daggers at anything morningish.

            Pepper came up behind him and massaged his shoulders.

“You may have reacted out of passion, but what he said was out of line, it doesn’t matter what era he’s from. He’s been here long enough to know that homophobic comments won’t fly anymore. Actually I’m pretty sure he got a lecture on it. Right, babe?” Natasha nodded her head and kissed Pepper’s cheek before gracefully curling up on the couch next to Clint laying her head on his shoulder and drinking her own cup of coffee.

            Tony sighed and drank more of his coffee and took a bite of the cupcake. The rest of the group came and settled in on various pieces of furniture drinking their morning fuel or green tea in Bruce’s case.  

“So, do we all get to sign the cast or is it only super cool share Tony as a pillow club?” Darcy asked bobbing her head up and down dancing to the music that was in her head. Tony rolled his eyes but pulled a black sharpie out of his jean pockets.

“Yes, you can sign Darcy.” He tossed the marker to her, but she threw it back.

“Fuck that noise, I’m going to get my own markers!” With that she ran off to her room to get her markers.

“Should I be scared?” Tony asked looking at Jane who knew her best.

“Yes you should, you should be terrified. She has over 30 different colors of Sharpies.” Tony cringed. Clint finally realizing that the outside world exists pops up his head and jumps off of the couch and wonders into the kitchen. Darcy comes running out with a huge bag of sharpies and takes his place on the couch to work on Tony’s cast. She uncaps a red marker and starts her work.

“Shit, Darce. How many cupcakes did you make?!” Clint hollers from the kitchen. Darcy shrugs her shoulders and grabs a blue marker.

“I dunno, like a thousand. I got bored, actually like an hour after everything went insane I came in here and started baking and I’ve been baking ever since.”

“So, you haven’t slept?” Bruce asked. Darcy smiled at him and nodded in the affirmative.

“I was too wound up to sleep, and baking is fun and I figure they will get eaten pretty quickly here, or I could just take them down to work and bring them to the adorable R&D boys who always have trouble talking to me.” Darcy pulled out a gold marker.

“OH MY GOD! It’s like Christmas in my mouth!” Clint shouted from the kitchen after trying a cupcake.

“THANKS CLINT!” Darcy shouted back this time grabbing several markers of several different  colors. “No peaking!” Darcy said and pushed Tony’s head away from her art work on his arm.

“Okay, done!” Darcy said capping the top to her sharpie. Tony looked down at his arm. There was a drawing of Iron Man holding a rainbow flag and Tony started laughing.   
“Thanks, Darce. I love it.” He said as he gave her a hug. She hugged back then got up to return her sharpies to her room

“I need to go to work.” Pepper sighed, looking down at her watch. Clint jumped the couch and sat back in his original spot.

“Call in sick.” Tony said popping his neck. Pepper rolled her eyes. Darcy came back in and sat next to Bruce sticking her tongue out at Clint, who just smirked in response.

“No I have a company to run, and I’m already late.” She stood up and stretched her tight muscles from sleeping on concrete.

“ _I’m sorry to interrupt, but there is a conference that I believe would be beneficial to view.”_ JARVIS said and clicked on the television, it was already on the correct channel.

            The announcer began to speak, “and now we are live at a conference being held by Captain America, we do not know why he has called this meeting but will be broadcasting live, this is channel 8 news and I’m Erica Starr.”

            Steve stood behind the curtains rolling his shoulders and mentally preparing himself for the oncoming storm that he was about to face. He knew he had to do this now or else have Tony stay mad at him forever and he really couldn’t have that happen, especially since he was blooming a crush for Mr. Stark. Steve takes a deep breath in and releases.

            He walks out onto the podium to where the microphone is set up for him. He looks out to the audience, and smiles for all the cameras, this part was easy, he’d done it hundreds of times when he was a singing-monkey during the war. He also notices that the guys from the 700 club are in attendance, he smiles for himself. He just hoped that JARVIS had been able to get everyone to watch the conference.

“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen for coming out here today.”  Steve gave his best Captain America smile and the reports started screaming questions at him, he held up a hand to silence them. They quieted down and he rewarded them with another smile.

“Last night I was watching television and I happened to overhear a certain group using my name as a beacon for their cause. I do believe in traditional American values, but not the kind these people were speaking of. I believe in being kind to your neighbor and lending a helping hand, and believing in America. I do not, however, believe that someone’s sexual orientation is a reason to judge them. I have studied up on our history since the war, and I’m pleased to see certain changes, including gay marriage being legalized in several states, including my very own New York, also the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I hope to see even more in the future, so to clear the air right now. I am pro-gay rights.” Steve stopped and took a breath, this part took courage, and that was something Steve had plenty of.

“Also, I would like to say that I myself am bisexual.” The crowd erupted in questions and the 700 guys got up with sour looks on their faces, Steve grinned at that, and began to answer questions.

“Captain Rogers, you just came out, is there anyone special in your life at the moment.” Steve grinned.

“Not at the moment, but I have my eye on someone. Someone that I care about very much.”

            Tony clicked off the TV and sat in stunned silence along with the rest of the group.

“So.” Darcy said.

“So.” Clint returned.

“But, last night he. He said. He said the thing about wanting to get rid of the gays. Was he lying to get back into our good graces?” Tony asked.

“That didn’t look like a lie.” Natasha returned.

“ _Sir, I may be able to assist.”_ JARVIS then replayed Steve realizing his original mistake from not hearing the entire conversation.

“Oh.” Tony said. “I’m the biggest asshole in the world.” Tony slumped his shoulders and looked down at his feet in shame.

“I think we all are.” Pepper said patting Tony’s back, “but I really have to go to work.” She said standing up and leaving the room, Natasha following her out. Phil got a really giddy expression on his face.

“I don’t have to burn my Captain America memorabilia!” Clint rolled his eyes but softly smiled and ruffled Phil’s hair.

“I should make Steve coming out cupcakes!” Darcy said bouncing off to the kitchen to bake even more than she already had. This time Bruce got up and followed her.

“Mind if I help, I love baking and haven’t had a chance to in a while.” She smiled widely at him and they wondered into the kitchen.

            Clint grabbed Phil’s hand and they stood to leave after they both pat Tony on the head. Once he was alone, Tony slumped forward and cradled his head into his hands.

“What am I going to do JARVIS, I fucked up big time.”

“ _May I suggest talking to Captain Rogers, and explaining your feelings.”_

“Yeah, probably. Tell me when he gets here, I’m going to take a little nap.” Tony said laying down on the couch propping his head up on the arm rest and closing his eyes.

“ _Sir,”_  Tony wakes up and rubs his eyes.

“Yeah?”

“ _Captain Rogers has arrived back at the tower; he is headed towards his dormitory. Would you like me to have him come to you?”_

“No, I’ll go to him.” Tony got up off the couch and went to the elevator and rode down to Steve’s floor. He walked to the door and knocked.

            Steve came to the door and opened it, looking slightly embarrassed when he saw Tony.

“Hey, Tony. Can we talk?” Steve said opening the door wider as if to invite Tony in for a talk.

“Yeah, that’s what I came here for.” Tony said walking in the door held open for him. He walked over to the desk and sat down in one of the chairs, Steve sat on the edge of the bed facing Tony.

“So listen, I…” Tony started, but Steve stopped him.

“No, wait let me go first. I only heard the last bit of that homophobic fellow and I didn’t realize what he was saying. I don’t actually hate gay people, I’m actually gay. I’m sorry I hurt you, and I’m even sorrier that I broke your hand.”

“No, god, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have just jumped like I did. I acted without thinking, I didn’t even think about asking you to clarify. I just saw red, and I’m really sorry for punching you.” Tony said looking at his shoes the entire time.

“I guess we were both in the wrong here.” Steve said with a small smile. “I just hope you can see past me being an idiot and still be my friend.” Tony looked up from his shoes and gave a small smile.

“Yeah, friends.” They spent a few seconds just grinning at each other before the door to Steve’s room burst open and they both jumped up. Darcy along with Clint, Thor, and Bruce came in carrying cupcakes for Steve.

“We brought you coming out cupcakes! They double as apology cupcakes cause we were assholes who didn’t let you tell your side of the story, buuuuut cupcakes!” Darcy said thrusting a rainbow cupcake into Steve’s hand. Steve smiled at his makeshift family and knew things were going to be okay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed. I don't know when I'll get the next part of the series up, but I promise from now on comedy will ensue. 
> 
> I just wanted to get this angsty bit out of the way. 
> 
> Don't forget to comment and leave kudos also follow me on tumblr, marveltookmywallet.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys liked it! I should have the next chapter up soon. I write faster when you comment and leave kudos! 
> 
> Also follow me on tumblr  
> marveltookmywallet.tumblr.com


End file.
